During the installation works of the new unified water supply pipeline, a section of a Late Classical period house (mid-4th century BC) was discovered in the city of Eretria, which features a pebble mosaic floor with a central representation of two Satyrs, as reported in a statement by the Ministry of Culture.
The house and the pebble mosaic floor likely date from after the mid-4th century BC, at a time when luxurious private houses began to appear in ancient Eretria, following the well-known architectural type with a central colonnaded courtyard, around which the private spaces of the family and the public spaces for official occasions and banquets were developed. Similar pebble mosaics from the “House of Mosaics” have been dated to around 360-350 BC.
Detailed announcement:
During the installation works of the new unified water supply pipeline for Eretria, as part of a project by the Municipality of Eretria “Replacement of the Water Supply Network of Eretria (remaining parts of the city)” included in the Operational Programme “Transport Infrastructure, Environment, and Sustainable Development 2014-2020” (OPS 500157), monitored by specialized personnel from the Ephorate of Antiquities of Evia (2nd sub-project), a section of a Late Classical period house (mid-4th century BC) was discovered in Eretria, which features a pebble floor with a central representation of two Satyrs.
The building is located in the core of the urban fabric of the ancient city, near the sanctuary of the Laurel-bearing Apollo, the “Neighborhood of Panathenaic Amphorae,” and the “House of Mosaics,” where houses from the 4th century BC have been investigated in the past, often adorned with elaborate pebble mosaic floors.
During the excavation, a rectangular room with almost square dimensions, with internal measurements of 3.50m x 3.55m, was revealed, defined on the south and east by walls. The remaining sides (north and west) could not be uncovered due to the limited extent of the excavation pit and the presence of the road surface of the municipal road.
Inside the room, a pebble floor made of small, white natural pebbles was investigated, which features a central medallion with a diameter of 1.13m, depicting Satyrs. Two male figures with animal-like characteristics (tail, horns, pointed ears) are represented. One is a young man playing a double flute, while the other is bearded, older, and likely dancing to the rhythm of the music. Various colored pebbles (white, black, red, yellow) were used to render facial features or details of the body, with the most notable being the representation of hair with yellow pebbles, which adds realism and liveliness to the figures of the representation.
Along the north, east, and west sides of the room, an elevated floor made of mortar was uncovered, measuring 0.935m in width and approximately 2-3 centimeters in height. This construction was used for placing beds or couches, a feature commonly found in houses of the same period in Eretria (Western Neighborhood, House of Mosaics), leading to the identification of the space as a men’s quarters where gatherings and banquets took place. In fact, the representation of the Satyrs in a jovial mood, enjoying themselves to the sounds of music, is thematically connected to the use of the space, which was intended for the celebrations that took place in the house.
After its abandonment in the early Christian centuries (5th-6th century AD), the space was used as a cemetery, as inferred from the discovery of five (5) graves (4 tiled and 1 simple pit), which had been dug within the filling of the room and in some cases intruded upon and disturbed the floor, as well as an additional five (5) graves (4 tiled and 1 simple pit) of the same period to the south (exterior) of the room.
After the completion of the excavation and the initial assessment of the archaeological data, the house and the pebble mosaic floor likely date from after the mid-4th century BC, at a period when luxurious private houses appeared in ancient Eretria, following the known architectural type with a central colonnaded courtyard, around which the private family spaces and public spaces for official occasions and banqueting were developed. Similar pebble floors from the “House of Mosaics” have been dated around 360-350 BC.
Following the unanimous opinion of the local Council of Monuments of Central Greece during its no. 3/26-6-2024 meeting, it was decided to temporarily cover the floor for protection purposes and to modify the routing of the water pipeline, so as to avoid any disturbance and allow for its future display.
The Ephorate of Antiquities of Evia, taking into account the excellent state of preservation of the pebble mosaic floor and the uniqueness of the central medallion depiction, initially undertook immediate stabilization and cleaning work by Conservators of the Service, while also ensuring that this new archaeological complex is incorporated for promotion into the “Study for the unification of the monuments of the archaeological site of Eretria,” which was developed with funding from the Operational Programme “Central Greece 2014-2020” and is to be examined by the Central Archaeological Council.